Fledgling

Draco hits a nerve for Ginny. They talk. Draco needs some aspirin.

xXxXxXxXx

"I'm sorry," Draco said quietly.

Ginny stared. "Did you just apologise to me?"

Draco's slightly uncomfortable expression devolved into one of annoyance. "Yes, I did. Would you like me to take it back?"

Ginny just shook her head, incredulous. "You APOLOGISED. Do the wonders never cease?"

Draco narrowed his eyes at the the dumbstruck redhead. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're a Slytherin, Malfoy, Slytherins never apologise."

"What part of 'I'm sorry' do you not understand?"

Ginny sighed. "Okay, thank you. But-" she lowered her voice to a whisper, "why did you do that?"

Draco felt the beginnings of a headache. "Do what?"

"Apologise! Good lord, Draco, talking to you is like having a conversation with a brick wall."

Draco took a deep breath. "Because... I don't know. Because you looked all sad and dejected sitting over there while your precious Potter chatted with Weasley-" he glanced at Ginny, "I mean, your brother, and Granger." Ginny turned to watch Harry, Ron and Hermione talking animatedly, laughing and eating. "Don't you ever get tired of it?"

She turned back to the Slytherin table. "Of their talking? Why should I?"

Draco's gaze matched hers. She felt as though he was looking past her face, into her mind. "Who do YOU talk to?"

"Well, at the moment, you," Ginny replied, unsure of what he meant. Draco definitely felt a headache coming on, but pressed his point further.

"Exactly. You have to come and talk to the Slytherins because those three won't talk to you?"

Ginny felt as though someone had stuck a needle through her heart - just a tiny twinge, but it hurt. "Malfoy, they talk to me."

"Do they talk to you like they talk to each other? What's Potter's favorite color? Does Granger have any hobbies? Has Weasley gotten rid of his crush on Blaise yet?" Draco indicated a girl sitting at the other end of the table, with orange hair and a pursed smile.

Ginny started. "Draco!"

Draco spread his hands. "See, you didn't know about that, did you? Listen, Weasley, you don't have to talk to me if you don't want to... but I wouldn't mind. You're an okay kid - for a Gryffindor."

With that, Draco got up and left, black cloak swirling behind him. Ginny stared after him, trying to make sense of their conversation. His remarks echoed in her mind, taunting. "You have to come and talk to the Slytherins because those three won't talk to you?" "Do they talk to you like they talk to each other?"

Ginny tried to find some way to answer the questions without admitting a painful truth. They never did talk to her. She had to be content with Fred and George's rambunctious antics, because she didn't have anyone she could really talk to.

Tears started to form in her eyes, and she firmly pushed them back. Not again, she resolved. Never again. She looked over at the Gryffindors, several of whom were looking back at her with puzzled expressions. But three people in particular hadn't even noticed she was standing with the Slytherins.

Draco's last words surfaced. "You're an okay kid - for a Gryffindor."

Ginny hurried out of the Great Hall after Draco.

xXxXxXxXx